BTW, it is also known as the Boeing 707, the most successful commercial jetliner ever.
I was a sonic test engineer at BMAC (Boeing Military Airplane Company) in the early 80's. The re-engined (and re-skinned) KC-135R is a wonderful airplane. There is not one square inch of that airplane that I don't know intimately. Through months of sonic testing I crawled into and over the entire airframe, from nose to vertical stabilizer.
It is an astoundingly great airplane.
Those GE CFM-56 engines, some 23,000 lbs thrust each, over twice the original engines, made the re-engined KC-135 a real hot dog.
How many have ever flown in a 707?
If they had re-engined the commercial fleet similarly, we might well be still taking 707s across the Atlantic.
on edit: The tell for a 707/KC-135 is the antenna at the top of the vertical stabilizer.
Edit history
Recommendations
0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):
= new reply since forum marked as read